Julian Assange Free at Last?

The saga of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange has been going on for years. In 2010, when Mr. Assange published top secret US information on things like defence, UFOs, etc, landed Mr. Assange in massive hot water. The US authorities then wanted to extradite him from the UK. Assange then took shelter and was offered safe housing by the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. The UK authorities on behalf of the US could not touch him as to enter the Ecuadorian embassy without diplomatic consent would have been as good as a UK invasion of Ecuador.

Separately, Assange was wanted by Sweden in an alleged rape of a woman. So, Assange had the US and Sweden on his back. Conversely, the Swedish allegations of rape were dropped or at least they seemed to be baseless.

The UK entered the Ecuadorian embassy (presumably with the agreement of the Ecuadorian government). When viewing scenes of Assange's arrest, anyone would think, the police or whoever they were, were handling the 'Incredible Hulk' (given the number of them) instead of the thin figure Assange is. From then on Assange was held in Belmarsh prison. Belmarsh prison is a place where only the hardest criminals and terrorists are held. Assange was held there while battles took place in court between his legal team and the team representing the US. Many not just Assange followers but ordinary people were horrified and disgusted about the manner of Assange's arrest.

US Authorities have agreed now to drop the demand for Mr. Assange to be extradited from the UK after reaching a plea deal. This plea deal is an agreement with the Wikileaks founder. Mr. Assange will plead guilty to the conspiracy to obtain and disclose sensitive information. Assange will be sentenced to 62 months in prison. However, Assange will not serve those months because Assange has already served that time in Belmarsh. Once the guilty plea is accepted by a judge, the 52-year-old Mr. Assange will be free to return to Australia.

American prosecutors had alleged that Mr. Assange put people at risk when he helped former US intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal diplomatic cables and military files that Wikileaks published in 2010.

Mr. Assange for the moment has been granted bail and was able to travel by car to Stansted Airport. Where he boarded a flight presumably heading to his native Australia. Once in Australia Julian will be reunited with his wife Stella and children. His children have only known and seen their father as a prisoner. Now they will have the chance to see him as a free man.

Stella Assange published on X a video of her husband arriving in a car to Stansted and boarding a plane. Mrs. Assange wrote in the same posting, "Julian is free"! Her posting continued: "Words cannot express our immense gratitude to you - yes YOU, who have all been involved for years and years to make this come true. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.THANK YOU".

The Wikileaks group has continued without him. It has continuously campaigned for the release of its founder. That all allegations should be dropped and that Mr. Assange as a journalist (though perhaps not trained) had the right to publish such sensitive information. Other news outlets what one could call more establishment news organisations have published controversial information in the past. However, Wikileaks founder Julian Assange became public enemy number one. One could argue that Assange was doing the public a favour by publishing such sensitive information. At the same time, governments keep things secret for a reason.

Will Assange now watch what he says or publishes on his Wikileaks sight, especially, after everything he has been through? There have always been those who challenged the authority of their day. Mr. Assange, love him or hate him, appears to be

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